Weather Blessings and Sorrows

by COGwriter

The Bible tells of giving rain in its proper season as a blessing for obedience and droughts and other weather problems for disobedience. Many have not considered the use of weather as a tool of God. (There is also a YouTube video titled Does God Use Weather?) as well as another titled Hurricanes and Prophecy.)

God Controls the Weather

While humans often seem to think otherwise, God is in charge and controls the weather. Notice the following:

The Bible makes plain who is in control of the weather! "Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word" (Ps . 148:8 , RAV).

God intervenes in weather to work out his purposes among nations...

Plagues of disastrous weather are a warning to humanity. Weather for the most part operates according to natural laws. Damaging weather patterns sometimes develop. God simply may not choose to intervene to stop them because of nations' various sins and idolatry.

The Bible reveals God also directly intervenes to cause weather plagues to warn certain nations. "I have smitten you with blasting and mildew . .. yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord" (Amos 4:9). He, in his great purpose, may also allow Satan-the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4)-to have a role in producing calamitous weather, for man's ultimate learning (see Job, chapter 1). (Schroeder D. CHAOTIC WEATHER Return of the dust bowl? Plain Truth. 1984, pp. 19-20)

As the above shows, the Bible teaches that God uses weather to warn people and to get their attention, especially if they have left Him.

Notice also:

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; (Psalms 148:7-8, NKJV throughout unless otherwise indicated)

26 "Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered. 27 For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, 28 Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. 29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy? 30 Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. 32 He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike. 33 His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm. (Job 36:26-33)

25 For He commands and raises the stormy wind,Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 26 They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths;Their soul melts because of trouble. 27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits' end. 28 Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. 29 He calms the storm,So that its waves are still. 30 Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. 31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 32 Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, And praise Him in the company of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a wilderness, And the watersprings into dry ground; 34 A fruitful land into barrenness, For the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 35 He turns a wilderness into pools of water, And dry land into watersprings. 36 There He makes the hungry dwell, That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, 37 And sow fields and plant vineyards, That they may yield a fruitful harvest. 38 He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; And He does not let their cattle decrease. (Psalms 107:25-38)

17 He casts out His hail like morsels;
Who can stand before His cold?
18 He sends out His word and melts them;
He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.  (Psalms 147:17-18)

3 He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. 4 After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. 5 God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. 6 For He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth'; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength. 7 He seals the hand of every man, That all men may know His work. 8 The beasts go into dens, And remain in their lairs. 9 From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, And cold from the scattering winds of the north. 10 By the breath of God ice is given, And the broad waters are frozen. 11 Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. 12 And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, That they may do whatever He commands them On the face of the whole earth. 13 He causes it to come, Whether for correction, Or for His land, Or for mercy. (Job 37:3-13)

God controls the weather. As the Book of Job records above, cold and snowy weather is sometimes used by God for correction. The following shows that God sometimes uses hail and snow for punishment:

22 "Have you entered the treasury of snow, Or have you seen the treasury of hail, 23 Which I have reserved for the time of trouble, For the day of battle and war?  (Job 38:22-23)

Weather is not as random as most seem to want to believe.

Notice a few passages about wind:

26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heavens;
And by His power He brought in the south wind.  (Psalms 78:26)

12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me;
Now I will also speak judgment against them. (Jeremiah 4:12)

13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. (Ezekiel 13:13)

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word; (Psalms 148:7-8)

The Bible shows that God even has allowed Satan to use wind (cf. Job 1:9-19).

The Bible also shows that wind responds to commands from Jesus:

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  (ark 4:37-41)

God uses weather.

In my view, weather was one of the reasons that Mitt Romney lost against Barack Obama in 2012 (there was a major storm, ‘superstorm Sandy’ that hit the north-east and that seemed to be the time more polls started to reduce Mitt Romney’s chances). Here is something I posted about that November 10, 2012:

I believe, for example, that God allowed superstorm Sandy which likely affected the election, in the favor of Barack Obama. Others may disagree, but for the past 2-3 years I felt that something would occur within a week or so of the 2012  US presidential election. And while superstorm Sandy was still going on, I discussed this with some I work with prior to the election, and mentioned that I felt that the superstorm would affect the election.

The Bible clearly teaches, “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Daniel 4:25).

God controls the weather.

Weather Blessings for Obedience

In the Bible, God also tells of weather blessings for obedience:

3 'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, 4 then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
5 Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing;
you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. (Leviticus 26:3-5)

1 Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:

3 "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

4 "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

5 "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl...

11 And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. (Deuteronomy 28:1-5, 11-12)

And while there has never been a human society with perfect obedience, those nations who once had more respect for the Bible at least used to make more of an effort to obey at more laws of God than we now see.

Rain, Water, and Drought Sorrows

Various parts of the world are facing flood and/or drought conditions. Notice how scripture shows that water/rain/drought will become a problem for various disobedient peoples:

13 'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.' 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 17 lest the Lord's anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you. (Deuteronomy 11:13-17)

6 "Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the Lord. 7 "I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the Lord. (Amos 4:6-8)

10 "Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, 'Peace!' when there is no peace — and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar — 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, 'Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?'" 13 Therefore thus says the Lord God: "I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 13:10-14)

15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 16 "Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. 17 "Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 18 "Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. 19 "Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out. 20 "The Lord will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me. 21 The Lord will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. 22 The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. 24 The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:15-24)

6 I will lay it waste; It shall not be pruned or dug, But there shall come up briers and thorns. I will also command the clouds That they rain no rain on it. (Isaiah 5:6)

1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts. 2 "Judah mourns, And her gates languish; They mourn for the land, And the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. 3 Their nobles have sent their lads for water; They went to the cisterns and found no water. They returned with their vessels empty; They were ashamed and confounded And covered their heads. 4 Because the ground is parched, For there was no rain in the land, The plowmen were ashamed; They covered their heads. 5 Yes, the deer also gave birth in the field, But left because there was no grass. 6 And the wild donkeys stood in the desolate heights; They sniffed at the wind like jackals; Their eyes failed because there was no grass." 7 O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, Do it for Your name's sake; For our backslidings are many, We have sinned against You. (Jeremiah 14:1-7)

5 "A sword is against the Chaldeans," says the Lord, "Against the inhabitants of Babylon, And against her princes and her wise men. 36 A sword is against the soothsayers, and they will be fools. A sword is against her mighty men, and they will be dismayed. 37 A sword is against their horses, Against their chariots, And against all the mixed peoples who are in her midst; And they will become like women. A sword is against her treasures, and they will be robbed. 38 A drought is against her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is the land of carved images, And they are insane with their idols. (Jeremiah 50:35-38)

4 We pay for the water we drink, And our wood comes at a price. 5 They pursue at our heels; We labor and have no rest. (Lamentations 5:4-5)

16 Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink water by measure and with dread, 17 that they may lack bread and water, and be dismayed with one another, and waste away because of their iniquity. (Ezekiel 4:16-17)

7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Consider your ways! 8 Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the Lord. 9 "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the Lord of hosts. "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11 For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands." (Haggai 1:7-11)

10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11)

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9)

Droughts and weather problems, including floods, hurricanes, tyhoons, and high heat, can contribute to food shortages, higher food prices, and sometimes famines.

Jesus taught:

7...And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:7-8).

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

The Bible also shows we should expect to see a time of much higher food prices (cf. Revelation 6:5-6) as well as certain water related shortages that will happen later (cf. Jeremiah 14:3-4; Jeremiah 50:35-38; Revelation 8:10-11).

Notice that God uses weather to warn people to turn to Him, but many ignore this:

17 I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,' says the Lord.  (Haggai 2:17)

21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.  (Revelation 16:21)

The Bible shows:

30 God...commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30)

And weather-problems are one way that God uses to urge people to repent (cf. Haggai 2:17).

Now, does this mean that those most affected by weather are necessarily worse sinners than those less affected?

The biblical answer is no.

Notice the words of Jesus:

45...He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45)

4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:4-5)

God uses weather and other events to warn people.

Theophilus on Weather

Is the idea that God controls the weather and uses it to affect humans new?

No.

Back in the third century, Church of God bishop/pastor Theophilus of Antioch wrote:

He is God alone who made light out of darkness, and brought forth light from His treasures, and formed the chambers of the south wind, and the treasure-houses of the deep, and the bounds of the seas, and the treasuries of snows and hail-storms, collecting the waters in the storehouses of the deep, and the darkness in His treasures, and bringing forth the sweet, and desirable, and pleasant light out of His treasures; who causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: He makes lightnings for the rain; who sends forth His thunder to terrify, and foretells by the lightning the peal of the thunder (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book I, Chapter 6).

Christians have long realized that God uses weather.

Could Some Anglo-Droughts be at least Partially Related to Increased Societal Tolerance of Homosexuality?

In the past few years, the USA has embarked on a course to "recognize/legalize" homosexual "marriage" (see Obama Administration pleads that the Supreme Court should overturn DOMA and California’s anti-homosexual marriage law and California’s Brown Signs Anti-Homosexual Conversion Bill and Episcopals ‘Bless’ Homosexual Marriage and Obama Promotes Homosexual Agenda at UN). The nation of New Zealand has taken a similar course (see New Zealand seems to determined to recognize ‘same-sex’ marriage).

Yet, both of those nations were hit by major droughts and other weather problems (see Majority of US Farmland Still in Drought and Drought Pressuring Chicken Price in Australia, Britain, and USA; NZ Volcano Eruption and 2012 Drought Declared USA’s Largest Ever Natural Disaster and New Zealand’s Worst Drought in 30 Years). Is this a coincidence or perhaps are the droughts a warning?

The Bible warns that God uses drought to send a message, and then sends mildew if the people still do not turn to Him:

7 "I also withheld rain from you,
When there were still three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city,
I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain the part withered.
8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,
But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,"
Says the Lord.

9 "I blasted you with blight and mildew.
When your gardens increased,
Your vineyards,
Your fig trees,
And your olive trees,
The locust devoured them;
Yet you have not returned to Me,"
Says the Lord. (Amos 4:7-9)

Well, the lack of rain in the USA and New Zealand did not cause people in those nations to turn to God. Both nations need national repentance, yet neither shows signs that they will do so. In California, the long drought was broken. Based upon Amos 4:9, expect areas to be hit with blight and mildew, as well as problems with vineyards, figs, and/or olive trees. All of which we have in California.

Notice also the following:

3 O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth?
You have stricken them,
But they have not grieved;
You have consumed them,
But they have refused to receive correction.
They have made their faces harder than rock;
They have refused to return.

4 Therefore I said, "Surely these are poor.
They are foolish;
For they do not know the way of the Lord,
The judgment of their God.
5 I will go to the great men and speak to them,
For they have known the way of the Lord,
The judgment of their God." (Jeremiah 5:3-5)

People do not always pay attention to being stricten, but God still will judge.

People who advocate acceptance of homosexuality as harmless may also wish to notice something else that God had the Prophet Amos write would happen some time after the drought and weather problems:

11 "I overthrew some of you,
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning;
Yet you have not returned to Me,"
Says the Lord.

12 "Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!"   (Amos 4:11-12)

God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah for their pride and acceptance of homosexuality.  If the Anglo-nations do not repent of the direction that they are going, they will be overthrown relatively soon (see also Anglo - America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).  People who profess to believe the Bible need to take a stand against those who advocate homosexuality and other behaviors that the Bible condemns.

Notice also the following about heat:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24 All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers…(Deuteronomy 29:23-25)

What will happen to the Anglo-lands actually will be worse that what happened to Sodom:

6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,
Which was overthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her! (Lamentations 4:6)

Why is it worse? Notice:

9 Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations. 12 The kings of the earth,And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem — 13 Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests,Who shed in her midst The blood of the just. 14 They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments. 15 They cried out to them,"Go away, unclean!Go away, go away, Do not touch us!"When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, "They shall no longer dwell here." 16 The face of the Lord scattered them;He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders. 17 Still our eyes failed us,Watching vainly for our help;In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us. 18 They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over,For our end had come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations." (Lamentations 4:9-20)

The reason that it is worse is that many of the people who survive starve and those that do not will be pursued and made be made slaves (for more details see Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).

Interestingly, it is not just the Anglo-descended lands that will have droughts and be overthrown for sins like homosexuality. Notice what is also prophesied to happen to end time Babylon:

38 A drought is against her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is the land of carved images, And they are insane with their idols. 39 "Therefore the wild desert beasts shall dwell there with the jackals, And the ostriches shall dwell in it. It shall be inhabited no more forever, Nor shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. 40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah And their neighbors," says the Lord, "So no one shall reside there, Nor son of man dwell in it. (Jeremiah 50:38-40)

So, both Amos and Jeremiah tied the warning of a drought in with later being over thrown like Sodom and Gomorrah--and remember the Bible says that Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown as examples for those who would go after "strange flesh" (2 Peter 2:6).

More about homosexuality can be found in the article The Bible Condemns Homosexuality.

Floods?

Earlier in this article some scriptures associated with heavy rainfall were quoted.

The Bible shows that God caused the Great Flood of Noah's time:

17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. 20 The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. 21 And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. 23 So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. (Genesis 7:17-23)

Although God promised to never destroy the entire Earth again with a flood, God's word shows that He can still cause flooding:

25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)

18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (Revelation 16:18-21)

Floods can also cause blight and mildew, which is something that is also prophesied (Deuteronomy 28:22; Amos 4:7-9; Haggai 2:17).

Can Prayer Change Weather?

Since God controls the weather, can paryer change it?

Most certainly.

Notice the following:

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:17-18)

So, prayer can affect the weather. For more on prayer, check out the free booklet Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach?

Aleksandar ‘Sasha’ Veljic arrived in Kenya, from Serbia, on January 27, 2017 to visit some of the Continuing Church of God congregations there with Pastor Evans Ochieng.

Consider the following miracle from the New Testament:

1  Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.  2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them — walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. (Acts 3:1-9)

With that miracle in mind, notice that Continuing Church of God Pastor Evans Ochieng sent me the following in an email 1/29/17:

Pastor Dr Bob

Greetings from Kenya.

Here is a photo of, from left Tiongik Sawek, David Chariot, Alexander and Evans Ochieng Kisiengo. We are in front of the hotel where we are going to spend a night.

Today Alexander was praying for the rain in Kenya. After ten minutes the rain came from nowhere and rain. This is the miracle we seen when we are in Narok. He was feeling very bad when he saw how people were suffering in Kitengela Nairobi simply because of water. His prayer is answered. …

May God bless your family and the work you are doing.

Evans.

The Bible teaches that God answers prayer.

Let us praise God.

Are Major Tornadoes Prophesied?

Does the Bible prophecy a time of major tornadoes? The answer seems to be yes. While the terms 'tornado' and 'cyclone' are not in the NKJV, KJV, or the DRB (Douay Rheims Bible), some translations of the Bible (like THE MESSAGE) do use them, and those that do not tend to use the term 'whirlwind,' which is basically what a tornado/cyclone is.

The Bible shows that whirlwinds are one of the forms of weather that God controls:

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
And will not at all acquit the wicked.

The Lord has His way
In the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet. (Nahum 1:3)

God teaches that because of disobedience He will scatter people and use a whirlwind:

8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, 9 "Thus says the Lord of hosts:

'Execute true justice,
Show mercy and compassion
Everyone to his brother.
10 Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless,
The alien or the poor.
Let none of you plan evil in his heart
Against his brother.'

11 But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen," says the Lord of hosts. 14 "But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate." (Zechariah 7:8-14)

21 A cyclone sweeps them up — gone!
Not a trace of them left, not even a footprint.
22 Catastrophes relentlessly pursue them;
they run this way and that, but there's no place to hide —
23 Pummeled by the weather,
blown to kingdom come by the storm.'
(Job 27:21-23, THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson.)

12 Woe to the multitude of many people, like the multitude of the roaring sea: and the tumult of crowds, like the noise of many waters.

13 Nations shall make a noise like the noise of waters overflowing, but he shall rebuke him, and he shall flee far off: and he shall be carried away as the dust of the mountains before the wind, and as a whirlwind before a tempest.

14 In the time of the evening, behold there shall be trouble: the morning shall come, and he shall not be: this is the portion of them that have wasted us, and the lot of them that spoiled us. (Isaiah 17:12-14, DRB)

The following is telling of a time when at least some of the descendents of Ephraim (currently dominating lands such as the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) will face a major destruction from a tornado:

15 Even though Ephraim ran wild,
the black sheep of the family.

"God's tornado is on its way,
roaring out of the desert.
It will devastate the country,
leaving a trail of ruin and wreckage.
The cities will be gutted,
dear possessions gone for good.
16 Now Samaria has to face the charges
because she has rebelled against her God:
Her people will be killed, babies smashed on the rocks,
pregnant women ripped open.
(Hosea 13:15-16, THE MESSAGE)

In the above, notice that Samaria is also affected. This seems to be a reference to the 'melting pot' of the USA (Samaria was a melting pot mixture of Babylonians and Israelites).

The following also seems to be directed towards the end time descendents of Israel (Israel, also known as Jacob, places his name on the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh in Genesis 48:14-16):

16 You shall winnow them, the wind shall carry them away,
And the whirlwind shall scatter them;
You shall rejoice in the Lord,
And glory in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:16)

6 For from Israel is even this:
A workman made it, and it is not God;
But the calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.

7 "They sow the wind,
And reap the whirlwind.
The stalk has no bud;
It shall never produce meal.
If it should produce,
Aliens would swallow it up.
8 Israel is swallowed up;
Now they are among the Gentiles
Like a vessel in which is no pleasure.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria,
Like a wild donkey alone by itself;
Ephraim has hired lovers. (Hosea 8:6-9)

The passage in Hosea 8 is clearly referring to the descendents of Israel, including Ephraim and Samaria. Notice that they are among the Gentiles and some go to Assyria (end time Germany). There are enough references to whirlwinds and the end time descendents of Israel that it seems like one or more major tornadoes are prophesied to affect them. For more details, see Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?

The following, presuming it is intended literally, indicates that there will be a very major tornado in the time of the end:

19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury —
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. (Jeremiah 23:19-20)

23 Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord
Goes forth with fury,
A continuing whirlwind;
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it,
And until He has performed the intents of His heart.

In the latter days you will consider it. (Jeremiah 30:23-24)

The fact that this is predicted at least twice in Jeremiah suggests that this will whirlwind will be a major event.

Notice, also the following:

13 God's Message:

"Because of the three great sins of Ammon
— make that four — I'm not putting up with her any longer.
She ripped open pregnant women in Gilead
to get more land for herself.
14 For that, I'm burning down the walls of her capital, Rabbah,
burning up her forts.
Battle shouts! War whoops!
with a tornado to finish things off!
(Amos 1:13-14, THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language)

6 And it shall be at an instant suddenly. A visitation shall come from the Lord of hosts in thunder, and with earthquake, and with a great noise of whirlwind and tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire. (Isaiah 29:6, DRB)

30 And the Lord shall make the glory of his voice to be heard, and shall shew the terror of his arm, in the threatening of wrath, and the dame of devouring fire: he shall crush to pieces with whirlwind, and hailstones.

31 For at the voice of the Lord the Assyrian shall fear being struck with the rod. (Isaiah 30:30-31, DRB)

23 He brings the princes to nothing;
He makes the judges of the earth useless.

24 Scarcely shall they be planted,
Scarcely shall they be sown,
Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth,
When He will also blow on them,
And they will wither,
And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. (Isaiah 40:23-24)

Thus, though some of these passages may also have a figurative sense, major tornadoes are forecasted in biblical prophecy.

Climate Change? God Controls the Weather

The Bible shows that God uses weather matters, including high heat (Revelation 16:8-9) and what is often called climate change today (Amos 4:4-9) to encourage repentance and obedience to Him (Haggai 2:17).

God does control the weather. Notice the following:

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
7 I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the Lord, do all these things.'

8 "Rain down, you heavens, from above,
And let the skies pour down righteousness;
Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation,
And let righteousness spring up together.
I, the Lord, have created it.

9 "Woe to him who strives with his Maker!
Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth!
Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' (Isaiah 45:5-9)

Why does God create calamity? Here is part of the reason:

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)

For more information on why God allows weather and other sufferings, please check out the following:

Why Does Man Suffer? Herbert Armstrong gives biblical reasons on this topic. I also wrote and added a section titled Suffering Has a Future Purpose.
Why Does God Allow Suffering? This is a pdf booklet put out by the old Worldwide Church of God that also answers questions about why God allows war as well as babies to die.

While I do not wish to now get in the debate about the impact of fossil fuels, as this article shows, the Bible is clear that God does use 'climate change' as a warning. 

Pushing the homosexual agenda and other sins as various ones have been doing results in 'climate change.'  But that is not something that many people wish to seriously consider.

The Bible is clear that humans would destroy the earth and the Jesus has to come before humans do so:

18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth. (Revelation 11:18)

22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)

The Bible is clear that various aspects of weather will be used by God prior to Jesus' return. As warnings and as punishments.

Much of the world in the 21st century sees that there have been various forms of 'climate change.' What should be done? Notice what Solomon prayed:

26 "When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 27 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

28 "When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 29 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: 30 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), 31 that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers. (2 Chronicles 6:26-31)

The solution to various weather-climate matters is to pray (see also Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach?) and to repent and properly obey God (see also Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

The United Nations and others have a different plan (see United Nations: Humankind's Last Hope or New World Order?). But their plan will NOT work (Revelation 16:8-9).

People need to strive to resolve matters God's way.

What Did Jesus Teach About Earthquakes?

Jesus discussed earthquakes in His Olivet prophecy (a series of prophetic statements He made on the Mount of Olives).

Jesus taught that prior to the great tribulation, during a time called "the beginning of sorrows", that His followers would notice earthquakes:

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:7-8, NKJV throughout unless otherwise indicated).

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

11 And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:11)

Now, these earthquakes happen prior to the start of the Great Tribulation (which is listed as beginning in Matthew 24:21, Mark 13:19, and Luke 21:23). More information on the Great Tribulation and the "beginning of sorrows" can be found in the article Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2014, 2015, or 2016? For years, I have wondered if the "beginning of sorrows" began in 2009, and the acceleration of certain earthquakes may be confirming that.

Notice that in Luke's account "great earthquakes" are mentioned. Considering the death toll from Haiti's 7.0 earthquake in 2010, it would seem that Jesus may have considered that earthquakes of that magnitude (or perhaps even a bit smaller) were great earthquakes (the USGS definition standards on classification are a relatively recent development).

Perhaps it should be mentioned that there was an earthquake when Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:54), plus the Bible records that there was a great earthquake that removed the stone from His tomb (Matthew 28:2) and another one that freed Paul and Silas from prison (Acts 16:26).

Jesus also taught more about earthquakes throughout the Book of Revelation (also known as the Book of the Apocalypse). One aspect of them in Revelation is that the term for earthquake is always singular in it, as opposed to the plural term for earthquakes that were associated with the beginning of sorrows that Jesus referred to during His Mount of Olives discourse.

Here is the first time an earthquake is mentioned in Revelation:

5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:5)

This particular earthquake happens after the great tribulation began and is just prior to the start of the day of the Lord. Many people consider that when the earth quakes, it may be apocalyptic.

The next mentioned earthquake may be the second to last sequentially:

11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:11-13)

The above earthquake happens the same hour that the two witnesses are raised by God. It seems to be a localized quake and this occurs near the end of the "Day of the Lord" (which is also discussed in the article Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2013, 2014, or 2015?). More on the two witnesses can be found in the article Who Are The Two Witnesses?

The next mentioned earthquake may be the last sequentially:

19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Revelation 11:19)

Because there was an earthquake during the crucifixion which coincided with a local resurrection, it may be that this earthquake will coincide with the resurrection of Christians, called the first resurrection in Revelation 20:5.

Earthquakes were something that Jesus warned about. And while not all earthquakes are a sign of God's punishment, a great one is coming that may shake many into realizing that God is sovereign and to fear His wrath (Revelation 16:18-19).

Does the Bible Predict the big one, an earthquake bigger than most geologists think possible?

Well, living in California, we often hear the idea that the "big one" an enormous earthquake will some day take place. In March 2011, when I saw "experts" discussing this, they indicated that it was not possible to have an earthquake along the San Andreas fault greater than about an 7.5-8.5 magnitude because of how the fault is laid out.

And while some in California might find that a little reassuring, the Bible speaks of a bigger earthquake ultimately coming. And California may have one or more "big ones" before this happens.

The real big earthquake in biblical prophecy is the following one:

18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (Revelation 16:18-20)

Notice that the above earthquake is so big that the cities of the nations will fall. Mountains will be leveled and islands "fled away" (more on this can be found in the article Islands and Bible Prophecy). This seems to be the biggest earthquake that will ever hit the planet with humans on it.

It will be bigger than what the usual "experts" have believed was possible. It will change the planet and humble parts of humanity. For more information, please also see the article Earthquakes Today and Bible Prophecy.

A Solar Disturbance Leading to High Heat is Prophesied

Are future solar disturbances likely to be a problem?

Because of the dependency of Western societies on electricity, computers, etc., the West is certainly vulnerable to massive upheavals in the event of a massive solar flare or something that affects the earth electrically (emp-type bombs also come to mind). I do not believe that the reversal of the magnetic field will cause an immediate end to Western civilization.  I suspect that there will be major electrical sorrows and troubles before the end (cf. Mark 13:8b,c).

Solar storms and the related damage were discussed in my book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Here are several passages related to them:

Notice the following from N.A.S.A.:

Solar Storm Warning: Researchers announced that a storm is coming—the most intense solar maximum in fifty years. The prediction comes from a team led by Mausumi Dikpati of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)…

Solar physicist David Hathaway of the National Space Science & Technology Center (NSSTC)…has confidence in the conveyor belt model and agrees with Dikpati that the next solar maximum should be a doozy. But he disagrees with one point…a storm is coming.

Solar outbursts have been proposed that could essentially wipe out modern civilization.

Notice a scenario that is based on a report from the U.S. National Academy of Scientists (although the precise date seems to be speculative):

IT IS midnight on 22 September 2012 and the skies above Manhattan are filled with a flickering curtain of colourful light…Within 90 seconds, the entire eastern half of the US is without power.

A year later and millions of Americans are dead and the nation’s infrastructure lies in tatters. The World Bank declares America a developing nation. Europe, Scandinavia, China and Japan are also struggling to recover from the same fateful event – a violent storm, 150 million kilometres away on the surface of the sun…

According to the NAS report, a severe space weather event in the US could induce ground currents that would knock out 300 key transformers within about 90 seconds, cutting off the power for more than 130 million people…

First to go – immediately for some people – is drinkable water…With no electricity to pump water from reservoirs, there is no more…There is simply no electrically powered transport: no trains, underground or overground…For hospitals, that would mean about 72 hours of running a bare-bones, essential care only, service. After that, no more modern healthcare.

The truly shocking finding is that this whole situation would not improve for months, maybe years…

There also seems to be a couple of Mayan predictions recorded in the 16th century that suggest some type of solar flare-up will affect the earth:

Chilam Balam (Mayan priest): Heaven and earth shall burn…It is the holy judgment, the holy judgment.

Napuctun (Mayan priest): It shall burn on earth; there shall be a circle in the sky.

Another N.A.S.A./N.O.A.A. report has indicated that the next solar cycle peak may be later, like May 2013… The Bible itself warns of a time of scorching solar heat (Revelation 16:8-9…)…

that flood and other prophecies are expected before 2030 (but after 2012)…

Whether or not one believes secular scientists who assert that humans are causing “global warming,” and islands will be submerged, the Bible is clear that a time of high heat will happen, probably worsened by a solar flare-up of some type. It also mentions the islands being gone:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory…every island fled away (Revelation 16:8-9, 20).

The signs will be powerful. And the Babylonian power will fall during the Day of the Lord (Revelation 18:2).

So, my 2012 book was right that the scorching heat and certain other prophecies would not happen until after 2012.

The Bible warns about a time in the Book of Revelation of solar disturbances:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.   (Revelation 16:8-9)

Although at least one “2012″ book has tried somewhat to tie the “solar flare” disaster into the Mayan date (Joseph LE. Apocalypse 2012: An Investigation into Civilization’s End. Broadway, 2008; and that author distanced himself from aspects of his book before the Mayan date), the prophesied real time of scorching solar heat cannot come for several years. Though electrical problems with solar flares have happened in the past, and those can occur almost any time, and it may be that the magnetic reversal that NASA is predicting could be a factor for them in the future.

On December 19, 2012 I reported:

Even though there could be some solar flare damage on 12/21/12, the "big one" that many scientists are concerned about will not happen this week. (see Solar flare threat is real, but the biblical ‘big one’ is not this week)

And it did not happen then.

But things are happening.

Earth’s magnetic pole is on the move, fast. And we don’t know why

January 11, 2019

Planet Earth is alive. Deep beneath its skin, its life blood — rivers of molten iron — pulse around its core. And this mobile iron is what generates the magnetic field that causes auroras — and keeps us alive.

But, according to the science journal Nature, something strange is going on deep down below.

It’s causing the magnetic North Pole to ‘skitter’ away from Canada, towards Siberia.

“The magnetic pole is moving so quickly that it has forced the world’s geomagnetism experts into a rare move,” Nature reports.

On January 30 (delayed due to the US Government shutdown), the World Magnetic Model — which governs modern navigation systems — is due to undergo an urgent update.

This model is a vital component of systems ranging from geopositioning systems used to navigate ships through to smartphone trackers and maps.

The current model was expected to be valid until 2020. But the magnetic pole began to shift so quickly, it was realised in 2018 that the model had to be fixed — now.

“They realised that it was so inaccurate that it was about to exceed the acceptable (safe) limit for navigational errors,” Nature reports. https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/earths-magnetic-pole-is-on-the-move-fast-and-we-dont-know-why/news-story/341c92307a6b19d25b38836c6097be9d

One possible reason why this is happening is that Jesus warned of "troubles" occurring during "the beginning of sorrows" (Mark 13:8).

The Continuing Church of God hasthe following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Electrical End of the USA ?

Electrical disturbances are going on.

There are real electrical risks for the USA, Canada, UK, and other nations.

But most ignore warning signs.

Will you?

Volcanic Eruptions and Yellowstone Supervolcano

Something that few tend to think about is the risk of volcanic eruptions.

The USA has a particularly significant risk:

September 1, 2014

Yellowstone Supervolcano Eruption Would be Devastating For U.S.

If the Yellowstone supervolcano erupted, at least a meter of ash would cover parts of the Rocky Mountain range and a few millimeters of ash would reach cities on both coasts of the U.S., according to new estimates based on computer simulations on the event...
The Ash3D model simulated Yellowstone's eruption and the study, "Modeling Ash Fall Distribution From a Yellowstone Supereruption," was published in the Wiley Online Library.

Larry Mastin, lead author of the study and US Geological Survey hydrologist, said he helped develop the Ash3D model, said that there has been a recent rise in demand for models projecting the density of the ash driven by a ground-collapsing eruption from the Yellowstone volcano. ...

Once they simulated a modern-day Yellowstone eruption, researchers were able to determine that a Yellowstone caldera eruption would release an "umbrella" of ash that would spread from the center of the US and cover both coasts.

"In essence, the eruption makes its own winds that can overcome the prevailing westerlies, which normally dominate weather patterns in the United States," said Mastin. "This helps explain the distribution from large Yellowstone eruptions of the past, where considerable amounts of ash reached the west coast."

The effects of the supervolcano's ash cloud would have a significant impact on every part of the U.S. The whole continent would suffer drastic change, according to Mastin.

"Electronic communications and air transportation would likely be shut down throughout North America," said the study. "There would also be major climate effects. Emission of sulfur aerosols during the 1991 Pinatubo eruption produced global cooling by an average of 1 degrees Celsius for a few years, while the 50 km 3 Tambora eruption of 1815 cooled the planet enough to produce the famed 'year without a summer' in 1816, during which snow fell in June in eastern North America and crop failures led to the worst famine of the 19th century." http://www.autoworldnews.com/articles/8822/20140901/yellowstone-supervolcano-eruption-would-be-devastating-for-u-s.htm

Notice that the USA is at risk of not only climate-related issues, but also electronic communications. This could be devastating for the USA and probably also Canada. The USA itself has over 100 volcanoes, though not all are considered to be active.

In July 2014, heat related to Yellowstone was a factor in road closures:

Extreme heat from a massive supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park is melting a major roadway at the popular summertime tourist attraction. Park officials have closed the area to visitors.

Firehole Lake Drive, a 3-mile-plus offshoot of the park’s Grand Loop that connects the Old Faithful geyser and the Madison Junction, is currently off limits. Park operators say the danger of stepping on seemingly solid soil into severely hot water is “high.”

“It basically turned the asphalt into soup. It turned the gravel road into oatmeal,” Yellowstone spokesman Dan Hottle said.

The affected roadway offers access to the Great Fountain Geyser, White Dome Geyser, and Firehole Lake.

“There are plenty of other great places to see thermal features in the park,” park public affairs chief Al Nash told The Weather Channel. “I wouldn’t risk personal injury to see these during this temporary closure.”

While thermal activity under the park often gives way to temperature fluctuations that can soften asphalt throughout Yellowstone, Hottle said the latest wave seems worse than usual. ...

The supervolcano has the potential to spew more than 240 cubic miles (1,000 cubic kilometers) of magma across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.

"We believe it will erupt again someday, but we have no idea when," Farrell told National Geographic. http://rt.com/usa/172672-supervolcano-yellowstone-closed-roads/

Though most scientists believe the risk from supervolcanoes, like in Yellowstone, is for the distant future, the risk is real. Notice also the following:

The eruption of a “supervolcano” hundreds of times more powerful than conventional volcanoes – with the potential to wipe out civilisation as we know it – is more likely than previously thought, a study has found. ...

An analysis of the molten rock within the dormant supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park in the United States has revealed that an eruption is possible without any external trigger, scientists said.

Scientists previously believed many supervolcanic eruptions needed earthquakes to break open the Earth’s crust so magma could escape. But new research suggests that this can happen as a result of the build-up of pressure.

Supervolcanoes represent the second most globally cataclysmic event – next to an asteroid strike – and they have been responsible in the past for mass extinctions, long-term changes to the climate and shorter-term “volcanic winters” caused by volcanic ash cutting out the sunlight.

The last known supervolcanic eruption was believed to have occurred about 70,000 years ago at the site today of Lake Toba in Sumatra, Indonesia. ...

A supervolcano under Yellowstone Park in Wyoming last erupted about 600,000 years ago, sending more than 1,000 cubic kilometres of ash and lava into the atmosphere – about 100 times more than the Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines in 1982, which caused a noticeable period of global cooling.

Of course, it is not just North America that could be affected by supervolcanoes.

There are volcanoes in many parts of the world and nearly all can cause major problems.

Iceland has had issues with ones there (see Iceland’s subglacial volcano erupting; any risk from Yellowstone? and Iceland’s Volcano Closes Airports Across Europe). There is also Chile's Quizapu volcano, Pompey in Italy (see Pompeii movie released; observations about why Pompeii may have been destroyed), Mt. Etna in Sicily, the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in Alaska, many in the Hawaiian Islands, Mt. Tongariro in New Zealand (see Drought Pressuring Chicken Price in Australia, Britain, and USA; NZ Volcano Eruption), several in the Philippines (see Volcanic Earthquakes in the Philippines and Philippine Volcano Erupts and Thousands Flee), various ones in Indonesia (see Japan’s Earthquake Seemingly Triggers Indonesia Volcanic Explosion, plus a Nuclear Plant Explosion), some in Ecuador, Guatemala (see Volcanos in Guatemala and Ecuador, Earthquake Risk on USA East) & El Salvador (see Volcano erupting in Indonesia after one did so in El Salvador), as well as other parts of the world.

At present, there are about 600 volcanoes that have had known eruptions during recorded history, while about 50-70 volcanoes are active (erupting) each year. At any given time, there is an average of about 20 volcanoes that are erupting. (How many volcanoes are there in the world? http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcanoes/faq/how_many_volcanoes.html viewed 09/01/14)

Volcanoes and supervolcanoes are a risk and very well could contribute to 'troubles' (Mark 13:8).

Even After Jesus Returns, God Expects to Use Weather to Gain Attention

God expects His people to keep His Holy Days (Leviticus 23). Some, apparently in Egypt, will rebel at keeping the Feast of Tabernacles at first, even after Jesus returns. Notice the following prophecy:

16 And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 17 And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, on them there will be no rain. 18 If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the Lord strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16-19)

But as the above shows, God plans to use weather to get people's attention. God is merciful and often uses weather issues to warn people to realize that they need to change. I believe that those in Egypt and elsewhere who rebelled at first will get the lesson then.

Weather Sorrows Should Serve as a Wake-up Call

The Bible is clear that God controls the weather and various clamities, but wants people to heed His prophets:

6... If there is calamity in a city, will not the Lord have done it?

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. (Amos 3:6-7)

The Bible tells of weather-related blessings for obedience and weather-related curses for disobedience. Weather is not as random as many people seem to want to believe.

Back in 2009, my book, 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, I wrote that the following was about to happen:

Odd weather patterns result in food shortages and natural disasters.

Matthew 24:7

The world is actually in a berserk transition, as the real age of peace is not yet here. It may be a period of chaos. It is the beginning of sorrows.

Matthew 24:8

Record heat and odd weather problems should serve as a wake-up call.

Notice also:

October 30, 2017

Weeks after the second of two Category 5 hurricanes tore through the U.S. Virgin Islands, New England crews are on the scene among those working to help restore power to the Caribbean territory. http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_31413527/littleton-electric-manager-leading-hurricane-aid-project-u#ixzz4wzzsI3l8

How can destinations rebuild better than before if they don’t have money?

St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastenet, chairman of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, gave a sobering response.

‘We have avoided and neglected the obvious for so long. This region is ecologically extremely sensitive and socially very sensitive and financially very vulnerable,’ he said. ‘We continue thinking there’s tomorrow. Tomorrow has arrived.’ …

In the case of Dominica, known as ‘The Nature Island,’ how do you put value on a rain forest? the minister asked. For Puerto Rico, already carrying many tens of billions of dollars in debt, the $150m to $200m to restore infrastructure is merely making stop-gap repairs.

France is helping St. Martin and the Netherlands is assisting St. Maarten, but independent countries have no one to come to their aid. Chastenet said Dominica’s initial damage estimate equaled 200% of its GDP.

And Britain could not allocate aid to the Virgin Islands and Anguilla because these overseas territories are too wealthy to qualify for assistance under official international criteria.

It’s not just the costs of repairs. The Caribbean faces lost revenues, and unimpacted islands will lose remittances from workers with jobs in places that were affected. The agricultural sector is set back, insurance costs will skyrocket and middle class citizens who provide stability and leadership to communities will leave. http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/frank-talk-on-rebuilding-and-resilience-in-a-very-vulnerable-region.html

The points of many of the weather-related curses is to tell people to change, to stop sinning, before worse disasters befall them (cf. Amos 4:7-12; Luke 13:2-5).

Let’s again look at that quote from St. Lucia’s Prime Minister: ‘We continue thinking there’s tomorrow. Tomorrow has arrived.’

There have also been issues in 2018 (see High heat on both USA coasts and parts of Canada, wildfires again hitting California  and https://www.npr.org/2018/07/08/627036179/dozens-dead-in-japan-amid-historic-rainfall).

Now look at 2019:

Unprecedented U.S. Weather Chaos Continues: 120F In The West, More Record-Setting Flooding In The East

June 11, 2019

Global weather patterns are dramatically shifting, and week after week we keep seeing things happen that we have never seen before.  As far as our weather is concerned, this is definitely the strangest year in modern American history, and many believe that what we have witnessed so far is just the beginning.  Up until just recently, the endless rain, catastrophic flooding and horrific tornado outbreaks in the middle of the country have been dominating weather headlines.  But now the west coast is getting into the act.  This week, new record high temperatures have been established in city after city, …

On Wednesday, it is being projected that the high temperature in Palm Springs could reach 114 degrees…

And we are being told that the temperature in Death Valley could actually reach “120 degrees”…

Meanwhile, more “torrential downpours” just continue to hammer the Southeast and the Midwest.

Yes, every year there are major storms, but under normal conditions those storms pass and things dry out.

That hasn’t happened this year.  There has just been one major storm after another, and this has resulted in cataclysmic flooding over a vast portion of the country.  And just when you thought that it couldn’t get any worse, more massive storms came rolling in over the past few days.  In fact, it is being reported that some states received “more than a month’s worth of rain” in a single day…

Record after record is falling, 06/11/19 http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/unprecedented-u-s-weather-chaos-continues-120f-in-the-west-more-record-setting-flooding-in-the-east

July 2019 was world's hottest month ever recorded

5 August 2019

Copernicus Climate Change Service said last month was the hottest month on record. Experts have said global warming is to blame.

July 2019 was the warmest month globally ever recorded, according to data released on Monday by the European Union’s climate change agency.

“While July is usually the warmest month of the year for the globe, according to our data it also was the warmest month recorded globally, by a very small margin,” Jean-Noel Thepaut, head of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said in a statement. …

Extreme heat was felt across Europe last month. Germany recorded 42 degrees Celsius, its highest temperature since records began, and Paris also endured its hottest day on record. …

At the beginning of last month the EU’s agency announced it had been the hottest June ever recorded.

The European Union’s satellite-based observation network said on their website: “The latest data show that this year continues to bring record-breaking temperatures. Every month in 2019 has ranked among the four warmest for the month in question, and June was the warmest June ever recorded. It is now confirmed that July was also an exceptional month.” https://www.dw.com/en/july-2019-was-worlds-hottest-month-ever-record/a-49897986

August 5, 2019

• July 2019 was the planet’s warmest month on record, according to an initial analysis.
• The hottest regions on Earth relative to normal included western Europe and Alaska.
• The warmth occurred despite the absence of a strong El Niño event.  … https://weather.com/news/climate/news/2019-08-05-july-earths-hottest-month-record-european-scientists-conclude

he Copernicus group found the global temperature in July was about 0.04 degrees Celsius (0.07 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than July 2016.

Here is something from 2021

Frequency, Intensity of Extreme Weather Surprises Climate Scientists

July 23, 2021

From the West Coast of the United States to Canada, from Russia’s Siberia to Europe’s Rhineland, the past months have seen a series of extreme weather events — including abnormally high temperatures, forest fires and deadly flooding claiming the lives of hundreds of people.

In Canada, the coroner of British Columbia reported earlier this month that at least 486 sudden and unexpected deaths in a five-day period were mostly seniors living in unventilated homes who succumbed to heat exposure. A normal five-day period would see 165 unexpected deaths, she said.  

Scientists are attributing the extreme weather to climate change and a series of recent studies warns more is to come. ...

German climatologist Dieter Gerten told National Geographic that the increase in “extreme events” is “something we’ve seen in climate model projections.” He was, however, still shocked by the scale of the flooding in Germany, where his hometown of Oberkail was also affected.

“I am surprised by how far it is above the previous record,” Gerten, a professor of global change climatology and hydrology at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said.

Computer models suggest records will be broken much more frequently and in more places around the globe.

“This is the new normal,” Johannes Quaas, a meteorologist at Germany’s Leipzig University, told local reporters this week in remote briefings.  ...

With the storms in northern Europe, the West Coast of the United States and Canada struck by the most extreme heatwave on record, Siberia hit by raging forest fires and China flooded, pressure is mounting for November’s United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, or COP26, to mark a major increase in global efforts to curb carbon emissions. https://www.voanews.com/usa/frequency-intensity-extreme-weather-surprises-climate-scientists 

The AFP reported:

July 15, 2023

Record heat is forecast around the world from the United States, where tens of millions are battling dangerously high temperatures, to Europe and Japan, in the latest example of the threat from global warming.

Italy faces weekend predictions of historic highs with the health ministry issuing a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence.

The Meteo Center warned Italians to prepare for "the most intense heat wave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time".

The thermometer is likely to hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Rome by Monday and even 43C on Tuesday, smashing the record 40.5C set in August 2007.

The islands of Sicily and Sardinia could wilt under temperatures as high as 48C (118 F), the European Space Agency warned ― "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe."

Greece is also roasting.

"Parts of the country could see highs as much as 44C on Saturday," according to the national weather service EMY. The central city of Thebes sweated under 44.2C on Friday (111.5).
Killer rains

Parts of eastern Japan are also expected to reach 38 to 39C on Sunday and Monday, with the meteorological agency warning temperatures could hit previous records.

Meanwhile the northern city of Akita saw more rain in half a day than is typical for the whole month of July, Japan's national broadcaster NHK reported.

The downpours also triggered at least one landslide, forcing 9,000 people to evacuate their homes.

Torrential rains described by the meteorological agency as the "heaviest rain ever experienced" have also hit southern Japan in recent weeks, leaving at least 11 people dead.

Relentless monsoon rains have reportedly killed at least 90 people in northern India, after burning heat.

We are seeing some extreme weather. This is not normal.

The Bible teaches:

2 Better to go to the house of mourning
Than to go to the house of feasting,
For that is the end of all men;
And the living will take it to heart. (Ecclesiastes 7:2)

Do you take the damage to heart?

Do you realize that this is only the beginning of sorrows?

Jesus taught:

8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

We have had some “troubles,” but the situation will ultimately get much worse.

Tomorrow will come!

Devastation is coming to the world in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord (see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019?).

Notice he following in a post by Lance Roberts:

September 21, 2017

When I was growing up my father, probably much like yours, had pearls of wisdom that he would drop along the way. It wasn’t until much later in life that I learned that such knowledge did not come from books, but through experience. One of my favorite pieces of “wisdom” was:

“Exactly how many warnings do need before you figure out that something bad is about to happen?”

Of course, back then, he was mostly referring to warnings he issued for me “not” to do something I was determined to do. Generally, it involved something like jumping off the roof with a queen-sized bedsheet convinced it was a parachute.

After I had broken my wrist, I understood what he meant. https://realinvestmentadvice.com/4-warnings-for-the-bull-market/

So, Lance Roberts realized AFTER he broke his wrist, he should have heeded the warnings.

Notice the following:

It’s Been One of the Worst Years Ever for Billion-Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters

By

Brian K Sullivan

and

Jim Efstathiou Jr

December 28, 2017, 3:00 AM PST Updated on December 28, 2017,

• Hurricanes, floods, fires dominated coast-to-coast events
• ‘This is one of the worst years on record for U.S. damages’ ...

The country recorded 15 weather events costing $1 billion or more each through early October, one short of the record 16 in 2011, according to the federal government’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina. And the tally doesn’t include the recent wildfires in southern California. ...

While other countries suffered intense and unprecedented weather in 2017, the range and number of incidents across America put it in its own league, said Bob Henson, a meteorologist at at Weather Underground in Boulder, Colorado. “The U.S. took a disproportionate hit.” https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-28/billion-dollar-u-s-weather-disasters-15-and-counting-for-2017

We seem to be in the time that Jesus referred to as the beginning of sorrows, a time just before the Great Tribulation. A time that will be worse than any on this planet.

After listing a variety of weather and other curses, God had Amos write:

12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:11-12)

Weather actually is to be a motivator for us to change and be ready to face our Creator!

Of course, people say, “The weather always changes.” And while it does, there are two point to consider about that.

The first is that changes in the weather show us that our environment and circumstances can quickly change. As Christians, we need to:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

And that is a warning to get our spiritual life in order.

The second is to consider that the severity of storms and their devastation has been increasing. Troubles are part of the beginning of sorrows (Mark 13:8; Matthew 24:4-8), and remember that the great tribulation (Matthew 24:21) comes in the same generation as does the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:34).

God does not want people to suffer, but to turn to Him:

10 "Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: 'Thus you say, "If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?"' 11 Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?' (Ezekiel 33:10-11)

God wants people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). He uses weather for correction and for His mercy (Job 37:13).

Will you heed the weather warnings?

Some items to consider would be the following:

Does God Use Weather? Are weather calamities totally random? Does God control the weather? What does the Bible say? Are there biblical prophecies for weather blessings and weather curses? Are those affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, droughts, and floods necessarily worse sinners than those not as affect? Does God use weather to warn people to change or repent? This is a video.
Hurricanes and Prophecy Hurricane Harvey dropped the greatest amount of rainfall in any USA storm. Hurricane Irma was the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic. Hurricane Irma wiped out most of the island of Barbuda, caused a million to lose power in Puerto Rico, devastated St. Martin’s, hit Cuba, and hit Florida. A news headline stated ” ‘Nature’s gone crazy’: Winds, fire, floods and quakes plague North America.” Is there any tie to prophecy? Are heavy winds and rains discussed in the Bible? Any ties to homosexuality and other forms of immorality? What about Donald Trump and Jennifer Lawrence? Does God control the weather? What does God want people to do? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more. This is a video.
The ‘Unpardonable Sin’ and ‘Climate Change’?  On September 7, 2016, Olav Fykse Tveit, Church of Norway Pastor, and the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, essentially declared that those who ignore ‘climate change’ are committing the ‘unpardonable sin’ against the Holy Spirit. Are those two even related? In this video, Dr. Thiel answers that and explains from the Bible what the ‘unpardonable sin’ is and how you can avoid it. He also discusses aspects of Christianity and the environment.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?
The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? A YouTube video is available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is also a link to a video titled How to Overcome Sin.
Just What Do You Mean Conversion? Many think that they are converted Christians. But are they? Would you like to know more about conversion. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
False Conversion Have you really been converted? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this article on this important subject.

Thiel B. Weather Blessings and Sorrows. http://www.cogwriter.com/weather-sorrows.htm (c) 2013/2014/2015/2015/2016/2017/2018/2019 /2021 / 2022 /2023 0715

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